


Trouble Always Finds You

by AshKnight



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Bodyguard!Kara Danvers, Endgame Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, F/F, Lena Luthor is a Tease, Protective Kara Danvers, SuperCorp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24212518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshKnight/pseuds/AshKnight
Summary: Lena Luthor needs a bodyguard.  Luckily, well-qualified former Army Delta Force operative, Kara Danvers, applies for the job.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 90
Kudos: 774





	1. The Bodyguard

After the thirteenth attempt on her life, Lena Luthor, the most affluent woman in National City, finally agreed to a bodyguard.

She'd never really cared much for social standards or for living with propriety. Her passions lay in science and innovation. But when she almost died – _again_ – she realized that all the people who wanted her dead were becoming quite tedious.

Lena was insistent on seeing the bodyguard's resume personally before approving the person's employment, rather than allowing one of her staff to review it all for her. Her own personal touch was on everything she worked on, and this was no different.

"Wow," she breathed, looking down at the paper. "Four years in the U.S. Army Delta Force. That's… What are they doing as a bodyguard? Isn't this a bit beneath them?"

"You wanted someone elite, Miss Luthor. That's about as elite as it gets."

"Yes, but doesn't it concern you as to why someone would—"

"Miss Luthor," her assistant cut in gently. "You asked me to find you the most qualified bodyguard willing to work in National City. I believe that I have done that. And… I think you might be overthinking it a bit."

"Well… We'll see. I'll meet him as soon as possible then."

"It's a woman, Miss Luthor," the assistant said simply.

"What?"

"She is a woman."

"I heard you, but… really? I didn't know they allowed women in the Delta Force."

"I'm sure there are a lot of things that neither of us knows about the Delta Force, Miss Luthor."

"Very well," Lena sighed. "When can I meet her, then?"

"Any time you'd like. She has open availability. You're free for lunch tomorrow, if you'd like me to schedule a meeting then."

"I'd prefer if you could cancel my meeting at 1:00 PM today and see if she can meet me then. I'm eager to know more about her. She sounds fascinating. If not, I'll see her at lunch tomorrow."

"I'll call her immediately."

Lena gave a nod of gratitude and returned her attention to her laptop.

~!~!~

The meeting was set for that afternoon. At first, Lena thought that she'd been stood up. She'd been sitting at Noonan's for ten minutes already, and there was no sign of her potential new bodyguard. Then, looking down at her watch, she was relieved to see that she was, in fact, fifteen minutes _early_ for their meeting, which meant that her potential new employee was not late at all (because that certainly wouldn't do).

As soon as she looked up, her eyes found a tall, beautiful blonde smiling brightly at her and offering her what she considered to be an overenthusiastic wave.

"Hi, Miss Luthor!" the woman exclaimed. "It's quite a pleasure to meet you."

Lena blinked. This bubbly bottle of energy was a former U.S. Army Delta Force member? And supposed to be her new bodyguard?

"Hello…" Lena said slowly, rising from her chair. "It's nice to meet you too, Miss Danvers."

"Oh, please, call me Kara," the woman beseeched her. "I'm not much for formalities."

"Well, you did call me Miss Luthor," Lena pointed out with a smirk.

"Of course. You're my potential employer, and I'm not insane enough to forget my own manners."

When Kara smiled at her, brightly lighting up the room, Lena couldn't help but notice her heart skipping a few beats.

Then, having mostly forgotten what they were there for, if only briefly, Lena beckoned her, "Please. Sit."

Kara did as she was asked, politely folding her hands in her lap as she waited for the CEO to grill her.

"So…" Lena started, looking curious. "You were really in the U.S. Army Delta Force?"

"Four years," Kara replied cheerfully, her smile never waning.

"That must have been quite an experience."

"It was."

Picking up on Kara's short answers to this line of questioning, Lena smirked and asked, "You can't really tell me much about it, can you?"

"Unfortunately, no, I can't, Miss Luthor. But I can assure you it was more than enough training to do the job that's being asked of me."

"I certainly do believe that."

"So, what else would you like to know about my qualifications?" Kara asked.

"Well, what made you want such an incredible step down in employment? I mean, being my bodyguard will hardly be exciting compared to the kinds of things you've seen in the Army, I'm sure."

Kara smiled softly and replied, "To my understanding, being your bodyguard will keep me quite busy. You've had several attempts on your life in the past few years. I'd say that's enough to keep me from falling asleep on the job."

"Okay… Fair enough. But why leave the Army, I mean?"

"I don't like death, and in my job… there was a lot of it."

Lena leaned back in her seat, pondering the woman's answer. It certainly seemed like a legitimate reason to want to leave the job.

"So, your contract ended, and you just didn't re-enlist?" the brunette finally asked.

"Are you asking if I was discharged?"

"I suppose I'm just checking," Lena chuckled. "It's a fair question, though, isn't it?"

"As I said, I don't like death. Four years was plenty for me, so when my contract ended, I didn't re-enlist."

"Alright. So, why, out of everyone else – besides your incredible experience with the Delta Force – should I choose you for this job?"

Kara shrugged and replied simply, "I know what I'm doing, and I won't let you get hurt."

"And I'm supposed to take your word for it?"

"Well, did you want me to run an obstacle course?" Kara laughed. "I didn't know I'd have to pass a fitness test for a bodyguard position with the famous Lena Luthor, but if I need to—"

"No, no. It's quite alright. I just meant—"

But before Lena could finish, a shot rang out, cracking the air like a whip. Kara dove for her, arms wrapped around her torso as she tumbled off the chair and onto the ground.

"Stay back," Kara ordered, pushing Lena back behind her as she shielded her body with her own.

Kara had her gun out in one blink of Lena's eyes. All she could see was the back of Kara's head, which meant she couldn't see the shooter. Heart pounding in her chest, Lena did as she was told and stared at the scene unfolding before her, feeling stupid and helpless for needing the protection she so desperately wished she didn't.

One shot erupted from Kara's gun before Lena heard a loud scream. Peeking her head out from behind Kara's shoulder, against her better judgment, Lena looked to see who had made the attempt on her life. It was a man she didn't know, and he was writhing in agony as he brought his knee up and clutched it close to his chest.

"Holy shit," Lena breathed, staring dumbfounded at the man Kara had so easily incapacitated. "Who the hell is he?"

Ignoring the question, Kara quickly turned to Lena and put her hands on her arms to steady her, asking, "Are you alright?"

Lena swallowed hard and nodded, mumbling, "Yeah. I think I'm fine."

It was only then that Kara looked relieved.

"You sure are a target, Miss Luthor," Kara sighed. "I have a feeling I'm going to be quite busy, should you choose to hire me."

"Are you kidding?" Lena laughed. "After that expert performance? How could I not?"

Kara finally smiled and offered a shrug, ignoring he sound of sirens and police officers that suddenly surrounded them.

"Just glad you're okay," Kara told her. "And thank you. I greatly look forward to working with the famous Lena Luthor."

Rolling her eyes, Lena finally rose her feet, her legs like Jell-O, and reached out a hand to help Kara up.

Out of courtesy, not necessity, Kara took her hand and stood up as well, feeling a tingle in her palm when Lena's soft skin brushed hers. She ignored this sensation, though, and stayed focused on her job.

"I'm going to have to talk to the police for a bit. Why don't you go get a coffee, okay? And just… try to keep a low profile for a while? Just in case?"

Lena nodded, said, "Thank you," and slipped back inside Noonan's to order another drink.

Kara spent almost an hour with the police, filling out the necessary paperwork and explaining what had happened, as the man she'd incapacitated was taken into custody.

When she was finally done with the formalities – luckily, they didn't give her any trouble – Kara found Lena back inside.

"You sure you're okay?" she asked gently, tilting her head ever so slightly as she watched the CEO's expression.

Lena nodded slowly, reaching up to wipe a few beads of sweat from her brow, then answered, "Still a little shaky. But I'm alright. You'd think I'd be used to this by now, but it always spooks me. I wouldn't say I'm scared, but it rattles me a bit."

Kara nodded her understanding and said, "Being in the line of fire does get easier. You did a very good job remaining calm."

"You… You blocked me…"

"That's what bodyguards do?" Kara said, as though it was a question.

"You could've died, though. He was shooting."

Kara shrugged.

"There are a lot of times in my life I could have died."

Raising an eyebrow, Lena asked, "Like when?"

Given the ridiculousness of the question – after all, Kara _was_ a former Delta Force operative – Kara smirked and shook her head, telling her, "I think you know I can't tell you that."

With a surprisingly playful sigh, Lena shrugged her shoulders and countered, "Figured I'd try."

"Fair enough," Kara laughed. "You won't crack me though."

"I'd certainly hope not."

Lena's smile was contagious, and it spread to Kara's lips almost instantly.

"Come on," Kara offered. "Let's get you to your place safe and sound. If it's alright with you, I'd like to escort you, just to be… thorough."

Lena hesitated but eventually nodded her consent.

Thankfully, no other incidents took place on the way to Lena's penthouse, where Kara bid her goodnight and the two parted ways for the evening, agreeing to have Kara assume her position as Lena's body guard the next morning.


	2. The Bunker

Kara was on the job for approximately another eleven days before they found themselves in harm's way again.

"There's only one way out," Lena gasped, looking back at the window behind her as the assailants outside the room continued to bang on the door.

"Move. I'm breaking the window," Kara said sternly, picking up a nearby lamp and gently moving Lena out of the way.

"Seriously? You're not even going to break it with your fist or anything? You're using a lamp? That's so boring!" the CEO taunted, trying to make light of the situation, even though her heart was slamming in her chest so hard she felt her ribs might break.

"I can't believe that in literal death-defying situations, you still have time to judge me," the bodyguard huffed, gently pushing Lena back and out of the way before throwing the lamp at the window, making it shatter into pieces.

With her elbow, which was covered by a thick leather jacket, Kara then knocked out the remaining pieces of jagged glass on the bottom of where the window had been.

"I'm gonna go first and help you out," Kara told her employer. "Be careful of the glass."

Eyes wide, Lena watched as Kara gracefully leapt out of the window before offering her hand to help Lena out. This was lucky timing, because exactly at that moment, the assailants knocked the door down.

"Now, Lena!" Kara shouted, reaching for the woman's hand.

Lena, shaken from her stupor, grabbed her protector's hand and allowed her to help her out of the window.

Then, the two ran.

~!~!~

"We can't go back to your apartment," Kara announced in a hushed tone, as they stepped into a back alley in a part of town unknown to Lena. "It's not safe."

"So… What, we just hide out in a bunker for the rest of my life?"

"No, but we do have to lie low for a while. I don't want you to get hurt. I'm not willing to take that risk."

"You know, for someone so strong and muscly, you sure do have a soft spot for me…" Lena mused with a smirk, watching Kara's face for any expression in response.

Kara blushed slightly, and Lena found herself glad to see it. So, the great, strong Kara Danvers _does_ have emotions!

"I, um… I just… I'm just doing my job," Kara countered, turning her face away so she wouldn't have to see the look of triumph on Lena's face.

"Okay, hot shot," Lena laughed. "Keep telling yourself that."

Ignoring this comment, Kara gently pulled Lena's arm to tug her further down the alley, then urged towards the fence that blocked their way to the other side.

"We're gonna hop the fence," Kara announced.

"I am doing _no_ such thing in this skirt!"

"Should've worn pants then, huh, princess?"

Lena scowled deeply and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Come on. We don't have time to fool around," the bodyguard urged her. "Please, Lena. Don't make this harder than it has to be. I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't think it was necessary. I won't let you fall or get hurt. I promise."

With a sigh of defeat, Lena stepped towards the fence and grumbled, "Alright, fine. But don't look up my skirt."

Blushing, Kara shook her head and told her, "Of course I won't!"

Biting her lip, Lena nodded her consent. Kara wasted no time hopping the fence with little effort.

Then, hanging on the other side, she held her hand out and beckoned Lena, "Come on. We gotta go."

Reluctantly, Lena pulled herself up and over the fence, slipping when she reached the other side. As she fell, Kara caught her, gently setting her down on the asphalt.

"You're okay," Kara promised, seeing how startled Lena looked. "I wouldn't have let you fall."

Lena turned around and looked into Kara's eyes, her own cheeks tinting a light shade of pink as she whispered, "Thank you."

"Come on," Kara said urgently. "We need to move _now,_ Lena."

When Lena nodded, Kara grabbed her hand and pulled her the rest of the way down the alley, then surprised her by pulling her through a shady-looking metal door at the end.

As soon as the door was shut and bolted behind them, Lena blurted, "Where are we?"

"Someplace safe," her employee assured her. "We just have to hang out here for… a while."

"How long is a while?" the CEO questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Until I'm sure it's safe to bring you back out," Kara told her, looking apologetic. "I have people on the outside who I trust that will let me know when it's safe to resurface, and I'll be working with police to give them as much info as I can to help them catch those guys."

"I am _not_ going to be trapped in here forever like a scared little girl!"

"You're not _trapped,_ Lena. Don't say it like that, okay? There's plenty to eat and drink, a place to sleep, and—"

"What the hell? Is this like your bomb shelter or something?"

Biting her lip, Kara looked around, then kicked the area rug to the side, revealing a trap door that looked so incredibly creepy that Lena stumbled backwards.

"Kara… If that's your sex dungeon…"

Bursting out laughing, Kara shook her head and told her, "Just go look."

"I…"

"You trust me, don't you?" Kara asked, suddenly looking overly concerned.

"Yes! Yes. You've saved my life more than once. I don't think you'd hurt me."

"Alright then. Go look."

Carefully climbing down the ladder into the bunker-type room as Kara hit the lights, Lena's eyes went wide.

"Holy shit, Kara," she called up. "It's like a fucking apartment down here."

"And you'd never know it," the bodyguard said proudly, following Lena down the ladder and shutting the trap door behind them. "Glad you're impressed," she added, seeing the look of disbelief on Lena's face. "I wouldn't hide you away in a shithole, Lena."

"When did you—"

"This has always been my place to hide. I get paranoid. I don't know. I just wanted someplace safe in the city where I could go that wasn't home."

"And… And you brought me here…"

"I did."

"To keep me safe."

"Yes."

"Wow."

Kara shrugged her shoulders and offered a warm smile.

"It's my job," she retorted cheerfully.

"That's bullshit," Lena said firmly, surprising Kara with her serious tone. "Your job is not to bring me to _your_ personal hideout to keep me safe."

"My job is to do anything in my power to keep you safe, and that happens to include bringing you to my hideout."

With a huff, Lena flopped down on the nearby couch and looked around.

"You thirsty?" Kara asked politely, making her way over to the fridge in the adjacent room.

"That depends on what you have," Lena teased, smirking in the woman's direction.

"Pinot noir? Cabernet Sauvignon? Chardonnay?"

Eyes wide, Lena asked, "Seriously? You've got a wine cellar down here?"

"Just in case," Kara chuckled.

"Pinot noir would be lovely," Lena told her. "Thank you."

The two sat chatting, sharing a bottle between them, for the next two hours, until Lena started to yawn.

"Why don't you go lay down?" Kara offered, noticing how sleepy the CEO looked.

"It certainly has been a trying day," the Luthor chuckled. "I almost died… again."

"Hardly," Kara corrected her. "There's no way in hell I would've let anything happen to you. You were nowhere close to dying. Except when you almost didn't climb the fence."

"Wipe that smirk off your face," Lena growled, playfully shoving Kara's shoulder.

When she realized just how muscular it was, the CEO blushed and commented, "Wow. You, um… You've got some guns there, hot shot."

Shrugging, the bodyguard simply offered, "I work out."

Lena laughed at this and came back with, "I bet you do."

"Get some rest."

"Don't tell me what to do," Lena taunted. "I'm a big girl. I do what I want."

"And?"

"And I'm going to bed."

Kara laughed at this and shook her head, mumbling, "Of course you are." Then, when Lena rose to her feet after taking one last swig of her wine, swaying slightly from the buzz of the alcohol, the bodyguard said, "Sleep tight, Lena."

"What about you?" the brunette asked, looking around the bunker. "Don't you have a… Wait. Don't tell me that's the only bed."

Shrugging, Kara told her, "It might be."

"Kara, you can't let me have the bed then. I'll crash on the couch. It's—"

"Hell no."

"Kara—"

"Hell. No. Lena. Go lay down. It's really fine. I won't sleep anyway. Gotta keep an ear out, just in case."

"No one's gonna find us in here, Kara. This is like… super duper secret hideout territory. No boys allowed."

The two laughed, sharing a bright smile, before Lena said goodnight and went into the other room to sleep.

Kara stayed up the entire night listening for any signs of trouble.

~!~!~

In the morning, Kara had breakfast ready for Lena when she woke.

"What the—" Lena tried to ask, but Kara cut her off.

"Good morning, Miss Luthor. Eggs and bacon?"

"Are you kidding me? You made me breakfast? You're my bodyguard, not my chef."

"I can be both," Kara chuckled with a grin. "I'm a good cook. Well, I can cook breakfast okay."

With a sigh and a shake of her head, Lena conceded, "Alright. Well… Thank you, Kara. I appreciate it. And I am actually completely starved right now. I think all that running yesterday really took a toll on me."

Kara nodded and handed Lena her plate, gesturing for her to sit at the table before joining her in the seat across from her.

"So, are you ever going to tell me your tragic backstory? Of how—"

"I don't have a tragic backstory," Kara lied. "I wanted to help the country, and I wanted to be the best of the best, so I joined the Delta Force, eventually found the deaths to impactful, and decided to become a bodyguard. Simple as that."

"Mhmm. _Sureee,_ " Lena scoffed, drawing out the last word for emphasis on her sarcasm.

"Eat your breakfast," Kara said, rolling her eyes. "You're exhausting, you know that?"

"Yeah, well… You have egg on your face."

"What?" Kara gasped, quickly reaching up to brush away any remnants of her breakfast from her mouth.

"Just kidding," Lena teased with a grin, loving her own joke.

"You're really something else, Lena Luthor. Really, truly something else."

With a shrug, Lena simply replied, "I know."

~!~!~

Kara kept in touch with her 'people' on the outside – to include the police – electronically over the next day and a half. Apparently, two members of the group who had attacked Lena were still at large and had yet to be detained, so Kara made the judgment call to stay in the 'hideout'.

"Come _on,_ " Lena whined the following evening. "This is so boring. Can't we just go out and wing it? I'll be fine. They're probably bored looking for me by now and—"

"Not until we get the all-clear," Kara firmly insisted.

"Come on. I'm going to die of boredom and then you'll have failed at your job anyway."

Rolling her eyes, Kara scoffed, "Hardly. You'll be fine."

"Don't you at least have like… a science lab with some tech in it down here or _something_ for me to do?"

"Want a coloring book?"

"Oh, wow," Lena said sarcastically. "You've been holding out on me."

"Hey! It's a great mindfulness activity, and—"

"Can I at least play some music?"

Raising an eyebrow, Kara nodded her head and conceded, "Not too loudly, please."

Finally smiling, Lena pulled out her phone and started some music. The song didn't surprise Kara at all: an old jazz tune from the 50's. Of course the sophisticated Lena Luthor would like smooth jazz.

"Miles Davis," Kara commented with a smile. "Nice choice."

"You like Miles Davis?"

"Perfect song. 'So What,' from the album, 'Kind of Blue,' released in 1959. Oh, to be alive in 1959… Sometimes, I think I was born in the wrong era."

"Well, you _do_ open doors like a gentleman," Lena teased with a smile. "Traditional values are to be missed with our generation."

"Traditional values?" Kara laughed, shaking her head. "Hardly. I just like to show respect."

"Fair enough," the CEO said, rising from her seat on the couch. Then, looking directly at Kara, Lena asked, "So?"

"So… What?" Kara questioned dumbly, giving a blank stare.

"So… Are you going to dance with me, or just stand there?"

"W-What?" Kara gaped, slack jawed.

"I said, 'Are you going to dance with me, or just stand there?'" Lena repeated, the corner of her lips upturned into a playful smirk.

"Lena…"

"Oh, come on. It's harmless. It's just a dance," Lena promised. "And it's your fault I'm bored, so you might as well entertain me."

"Lena, I'm your employee… and…"

"Is it your job to protect me?"

"Of course."

"Then protect me from boredom. Dance with me, tough guy," the CEO urged her, her smile softening into a warm invitation.

Biting her lip, Kara gave her employer the one-over and felt her heart begin to race. The prospect of being that close to Lena Luthor was one she'd imagined before but had never considered a real possibility. Now, Lena was asking her to dance.

"O-Okay… Just… Just one dance," Kara agreed reluctantly, taking a shy step forward.

"Come here," Lena laughed, tugging Kara's hand to pull her closer.

"Lena—"

"Shh," the brunette hushed her, putting a finger to Kara's lips. "Miles Davis. Don't ruin it."

Kara felt herself going hot in the face, with heat spreading all the way down past her neck. She knew she was blushing, and she was sure that Lena could see it too. Instead of speaking – no sound would've come out if she'd tried – Kara simply moved with Lena, their bodies in time with the music and with one another. After a minute or so of the song, Lena bravely pulled Kara just a little closer to her body as they danced, kicking Kara's heart into overdrive. This lasted through the end of the song, to the point that Kara was sure she was either having a heart attack, a panic attack, or just plain dying.

When the long 9 minute 25 second song was over – far too soon for either of their likings, although Kara was overwhelmed with the woman's blazing touch – Kara dropped her hands to her sides and averted her gaze immediately.

"You don't have to be so shy, you know," Lena told her with a smile. "It's just a dance, after all."

Kara just nodded, refusing to look at Lena, who she knew was wearing a smug, triumphant smirk. She could hear it in her voice.

But Kara felt the sudden urge to speak and shoved it down, knowing that if she'd opened her mouth, she would have confessed how terribly she'd hated that the song had come to an end. _Just a dance,_ she reminded herself. _It was just a dance._

Still, she couldn't help but notice her heart rate hadn't slowed, despite the lack of Lena's touch. Her phantom touch still lingered, burning Kara's skin.

"Kara?" Lena asked, tearing the blonde from her distracted thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you'd give me another dance…"

Kara stared. _Really?_ Kara asked in her mind, but forgot to speak the words out loud.

"Kara?"

Realizing she hadn't replied before, Kara blurted, "I, um…"

Grinning at Kara's display of shyness – it was flattering, really – Lena grabbed her phone and changed the song to one that was significantly more upbeat and faster paced.

"Kara. Dance with me," Lena urged again, reaching for her hand.

"Glenn Miller," Kara commented, unable to hide her smile. "'In the Mood.' 1939. Excellent song choice. The best Big Band Swing music there is."

" _Dance with me,_ Know-It-All," Lena ordered, rolling her eyes and jerking Kara's arm to get her closer, making the woman laugh hard as they tumbled into each other from the force.

As the song picked up pace, Kara's inhibitions slowly faded. Falling completely into the music, and into Lena's arms, she forgot herself and spun Lena around expertly before pulling the woman back into her arms and continuing the dance.

"When did you learn to swing dance?!" Lena laughed, moving in perfect time with Kara with equally as practiced steps.

"When did you?" Kara shot back as she beamed at the Luthor, spinning her again.

Three minutes and forty seconds went by far too fast, but this time, when the song finally came to end, they fell laughing into each other's arms, Lena leaning on Kara for support as she doubled over.

"Wow," she chuckled. "I haven't danced like that since college."

"Me either." Then, Kara confessed with a grin, "I was in Swing club."

"Were you really?" Lena asked, looking surprised as she slowly broke away and looked into Kara's bright eyes. When the woman nodded, Lena offered a wide smile and told her, "That's cute. You're quite good."

"I dabbled," the blonde laughed, knowing full well that she had, in fact, mastered the art of Swing dance through many hours of practice.

"Too modest," the CEO told her with a smile. "Far too modest."

Shaking her head, Kara replied, "Never too modest. It's not my style to take credit where it isn't due."

Lena rolled her eyes and, without much thought, took Kara's hand, lifting it to her lips and kissing her knuckles before saying, "Thank you for the lovely dance."

Mouth hanging open at the chivalrous gesture, Kara found herself frozen at she stared at Lena's lips, which had left the imprint of deep red lipstick on her hand.

"Oh. Sorry," Lena mumbled when she noticed the red mark, bending down to grab a napkin off the side table before reaching for Kara's hand again to wipe the lipstick away.

But Kara pulled away quickly, too quickly for Lena to grab her hand.

"No, it's… It's okay. T-Thank you for the dance. It was… I…"

She felt stupid for it, but Kara found herself wanting that mark there forever and, thinking of this desire, she forgot how to finish her sentence.

"You okay?" Lena asked, noticing the dazed look in the bodyguard's blue eyes.

Kara nodded and moved to sit down on the couch, taking a long drink from her water bottle as she tried to calm herself and recover from their closeness.


	3. Shots

The next morning, Kara got the message that the assailants had been taken into custody and the coast was clear, so the two carefully resurfaced back into the real world.

Lena was relieved to be back at her penthouse, but at the same time, she felt a loss, returning to work and her daily activities. Yes, she'd been bored… but the time she'd spent with Kara… having wine with her, laughing with her… _dancing_ with her… had been something truly special. Kara had turned out to be quite enjoyable company to keep.

Things fell back into the usual routine for Lena – except that she was followed everywhere by her puppy dog bodyguard, who constantly checked in to make sure she was okay – and eventually, she got used to it again. Except that things for the business took a turn for the worse after the failing of one of L-Corp's recent products.

"You look stressed," Kara commented, pointing out the obvious.

Then again, this was a new side of Lena that Kara hadn't seen. She'd seen the woman startled, shaken up even, but never quite _stressed._ Lena Luthor was usually able to take everything in stride.

"Of course I'm stressed!" Lena snapped. "My stock is going down."

"By like ten cents a share," Kara pointed out. "It'll go back up."

"What would you know about stocks anyway? You're a soldier, not a businesswoman."

Kara blinked, shocked by the cold tone Lena had used, and the derogatory way she'd referred to her as a 'soldier.'

"I'm… I'm not a soldier anymore… and—"

"Shit, Kara. That was super mean. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it like that. That was so shitty of me," Lena blurted, interrupting Kara's gentle protests.

"It's… It's okay. You're right. I'm not a businesswoman. I just… know the history of L-Corp stock… It's… public knowledge."

Lena literally slapped her palm against her forehead in realization of what Kara had just pointed out.

"Kara, I am so, so sorry," Lena sighed, turning to her bodyguard and looking incredibly apologetic. "That was a terrible thing for me to say to you, and you didn't deserve it. I shouldn't take my own shit out on you. You're just trying to help."

"No, it's… It's fine… I shouldn't have even said anything. It wasn't my place. I was just worried about you and wanted to help…"

This confession gave Lena pause, and she stared at the blonde for a long moment before saying, "Thank you, Kara. That means the world to me… No one's ever really cared about my feelings before…"

"What about your mom and dad?"

Lena bit her lip, averted her gaze, then asked, "Can we please not talk about them?"

Kara quickly recovered with an, "Of course. I'm sorry, Lena. I need to learn to shut my trap. You literally hired me to take a bullet for you, not to run my mouth."

Staring, Lena told her, "I hired you to keep me out of dangerous situations. I would never, ever ask you – or anyone else – to take a bullet for me."

Kara shrugged and replied, "But I would."

The gentleness in Kara's voice startled Lena a great deal, to the point where she almost thought she heard genuine caring in her voice, and not just dedication to her job.

To check, Lena commented, "You're… quite dedicated, huh?"

Pausing briefly to consider her response carefully, Kara replied, "Of course I am. That's why you hired me."

Lena shook her head and told the woman, "I hired you because you showed me I could trust you. And I don't trust _anyone._ "

"That's… That's quite flattering, Lena. Thank you."

"Just a fact," the CEO said simply, turning her attention back to her computer. "Anyway… I should get back to work."

Kara nodded her understanding, but it didn't take long for Lena to give in to frustration and give up on her tasks.

"Fuck it," she sighed. "Let's go out."

"Pardon?"

"I want to go drinking."

"Lena… It's really not safe for you to—"

"Come on, Kara," Lena pleaded. "Let me go to a club. Just for one night."

"It's too much of a risk," Kara sighed. "I'm sorry, Lena. I know you want to live a normal life, but… you're just… too… high profile."

"Then I'll dress down so I don't draw as much attention. Just… please. I need to wind down. A few drinks would really help."

"Can't you drink at your place?"

"Why do I always have to be so fucking isolated? I've been isolated my whole life. I'm tired of hiding!"

The sudden desperation in Lena's voice instantly gave Kara a change of heart, so she said, "Okay. Okay. I'll bring you. Just… _please,_ be careful, okay?"

"Great!" Lena cried, clapping her hands. "Let's go back to my place so I can change. Oh, and you too."

"Me? Why?"

"Because your jeans a black T-shirt make you look like a fucking bouncer. Besides, you're printing in that shirt anyway."

"What?!" Kara gaped, looking down at her front where she was concealing her pistol, appendix carry.

Lena was right. The outline of her pistol was subtle, but noticeable.

"You know… when your weapon shows a print on your clothes so you can tell you're carrying? Terrible. Just terrible," Lena said, shaking her head and feigning disappointment as she stifled a smirk. "You'd think a Delta Force operative would know how to properly conceal a weapon."

"I know what fucking 'printing' means. And listen… We didn't _have_ to conceal our weapons on the battlefield, and it's just because I just went to the bathroom and didn't—"

But Kara was abruptly cut off by her own mouth falling open as Lena slid her skirt up, revealing a small pistol strapped to her thigh, which had been completely unnoticeable beneath the skirt, prior to Lena's deliberate display of the weapon.

"Holy sh—"

"Yes, I carry. You should know that by now."

Lena's shit-eating grin was infuriating. She completely had a point. Kara never should have been printing at all, when trying to protect Lena. She was embarrassed, and it showed in the redness on her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Kara mumbled.

Had she not been staring at the bare skin of Lena's inner thigh, she might have dropped her gaze from the weight of the shame, but as it was, she couldn't tear her eyes away.

"Eyes up here, Soldier," Lena taunted, her cocky smirk returning.

"I-I w-wasn't—" Kara tried to lie but found herself unable to finish speaking.

She _was_ staring. And not at Lena's face.

" _Anyway,_ " the CEO huffed. "Let's go."

~!~!~

"What am I supposed to wear, anyway?" Kara wondered out loud, when they arrived at Lena's penthouse. "I don't have anything to—"

"Oh, don't worry. I have just the thing."

"Lena—"

But Lena was already digging through her unnecessarily large walk-in closet. What she pulled out was surprising, as Kara never could have imagined Lena wearing something so simple yet revealing.

The black tank top was exceptionally small looking and particularly low-cut, so Kara's first reaction was to shake her head and protest, "No way, José."

"Yes way. Put it on."

"I'm _not_ wearing that. What's wrong with a T-shirt?"

"I already told you. You look like a bouncer."

"But I'm—"

"You want everyone to know you're my fucking bodyguard and draw attention to us?"

Kara had to admit that Lena had her there.

With a frustrated huff, she took the tank top from Lena and excused herself to the bathroom where she put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. It definitely wasn't her style to put her breasts on display like that, so as soon as she saw them pushed up, with her cleavage showing, she blushed.

Knocking once but not waiting for a reply, Lena barged in, eyes going wide as soon as she saw Kara standing there, examining herself in the mirror.

"Wow," Lena breathed. "Talk about tits."

Eyebrows raised in shock, mouth slightly agape, Kara stared at Lena and said, "Sorry… What?"

"I said, 'Talk about tits.' That tank fits you perfectly. _Now_ you're ready to go clubbing."

Fighting back the vomit that was threatening to come up from the overwhelming rush of having her breasts noticed by the famous Lena Luthor, Kara then noticed Lena's outfit. The infamous 'little black dress.'

Her mouth went dry.

"I, uh… I think… I, um…"

"Are you always this articulate?" Lena teased, surprising Kara with her reference to the Disney movie, _Hercules._

"Let's just get this over with," the blonde grumbled, pushing her hair out of her face and trying to hide the increasing intensity of her blush.

"Oh, come on. Don't act like it's torture," Lena laughed. "Don't I deserve to have fun?"

Sighing, Kara told her, "Of course you do."

"Then let's go, Tits McGee!"

"Hey!" Kara shouted, as Lena walked out of the bathroom. "Watch it, or I'll start calling you Slutty McButtsex, just to piss you off!"

"Try me, Tits McGee!"

Feeling both flustered and surprised by this new side of Lena, Kara hurried to catch up with her employer as they left the penthouse.

~!~!~

Two shots deep, Lena was starting to feel the buzz of the alcohol and her inhibitions waning.

"See? It's not that bad!" the brunette announced loudly, downing her third shot of tequila that night.

Anxiously biting her lip, Kara scanned the throng of people crowded tightly around them.

"Stop working," Lena huffed, noticing the way Kara was searching for any trouble that might have arisen.

"It's my job to protect you. I have to—"

"Shh. Dance with me."

The modern music with thick, heavy bass was a stark contrast to the jazz and swing music they'd listened to in the bunker, and Kara was far less confident in this environment, so she simply shook her head.

When Lena put on the most adorable, convincing pouty face Kara had ever seen, she protested, "I really don't think clubbing with you was in my job description."

"Shut up and take a shot with me," Lena said firmly, grinning as she pressed the full shot glass into Kara's hand.

When Kara tried to push it away, Lena shook her head and ordered her, "Down it, ya pussy!" Again, Kara shook her head, biting down hard on her lower lip as Lena moved closer to her, so Lena added, "That's an order, Soldier!"

"My title is actually Major Danvers…" Kara mumbled, making Lena's eyes go wide.

"My apologies, _Major Danvers_ ," the CEO teased. "Wait… Actually, that's super impressive. But with me… you're just Kara."

This made the blonde's stomach flip violently as she looked into Lena's pleading eyes.

Pressing the issue despite Kara's protests, Lena continued, "Take a shot with me."

"Lena…"

"P-P-Pl _ease_ , Kara?" Lena whined, giving her best puppy dog eyes.

They worked immediately.

Kara couldn't stand the look on her face, so she let out a heavy sigh, grabbed the shot glass back, and mumbled, "Just one," as she expertly knocked back the shot of tequila.

"Yes!" Lena cried, pumping her fist in the air in triumph. "One more!"

"Hell no," Kara said, pushing Lena's arm down when she tried to wave over the bartender. "We've both had more than enough."

"You've only had _one,"_ Lena slurred, grabbing her fourth shot from the bartender who had seen her start to wave her over. Then, turning to the bartender, Lena asked drunkenly, gesturing to Kara, "Is she cute? I think she's cute."

"Oh, my God…" Kara breathed, pulling back on Lena's shoulder. "No more."

"She's cute," the bartender teased with a grin, winking at Kara. "You better take that one home, or I will."

"Oh, my _God!_ " the bodyguard repeated, covering her face with her hands.

Lena took this as an opportunity to down the fourth shot and slammed it down on the bar with a satisfied grin.

"Fine!" Lena laughed. "One more, and I'm done."

Dropping her hands away from her face at the sound of the shot glass hitting the bar, Kara gasped, "Lena!"

"You weren't watching me!" the brunette cackled. "Besides… I do what I want!"

"Dear God. Let's get you home before you eye-fuck that bartender into next week," Kara groaned, pulling Lena away from the bar.

But the CEO stopped in her tracks, looking shockingly sober and serious.

"I wasn't eye-fucking the bartender, you moron," she slurred. "I was eye-fucking _you._ "

"Okay. No more," Kara pleaded, unable to stand Lena's drunken flirting, which she so desperately wished had been sincere and taken place with Lena sober. "Not another word. You're acting like a fool. I'm taking you home."

Whining loudly, Lena pulled away from Kara, tearing her arm away from the bodyguard's strong, protective grip. She was making a scene.

With another heavy sigh, Kara shook her head in dismay and lifted the woman into her arms, bridal-style, carrying her out of the club with her continuing to whine in protest the whole way.

"I'll carry you home like this if you don't knock it off," Kara warned, when Lena started to thrash. "Now… Can I put you down and have you walk, or do I need to—"

"You're insufferable! You never let me have any fun!"

"Lena. Stop. I think you've had—"

"The _least_ you could let me do is eye-fuck you in peace, since your stingy ass won't fuck me for real!"

Mouth agape, Kara stared at Lena, who was scowling fiercely, to Kara's surprise, and nearly forgot she was actually still holding her in her arms. When she realized this, she set her down on the sidewalk, keeping her hand on Lena's arm to steady her.

"I'm taking you home. You're… You're talking nonsense right now, and I think when you wake up tomorrow, you're going to—"

"You know what, bodyguard? _Fine._ Just take me home and spoil my fun."

Rubbing her forehead in an attempt to relax her headache, Kara reluctantly kept her arm around Lena as they called Lena's driver and waited for him to pick them up to bring them back to the penthouse.


	4. Lookout

They made it back to the penthouse without issue, except for the fact that Lena was visibly pouting in protest.

"Listen… I know it's not typical for me to stay the night…" Kara said slowly, watching Lena stumble into the apartment. "But I'm worried you're going to get sick. You're acting—"

"You can go."

"Lena—"

"No, really," the CEO slurred. "I don't need you. You spoil all the fun anyway."

Flustered by Lena's childish taunting, Kara huffed, "Alright, fine. You're in no condition to make adult decisions, so I'll give you two equally acceptable options and you can choose from those. One, I stay the night to watch and make sure you don't barf yourself to death, or two, we bring you to the hospital to get you tested for alcohol poisoning."

Lena laughed loudly at this and scoffed, "I'm fine. They're going to laugh you out of the—"

But Lena quickly turned around and found herself throwing up into the kitchen sink, gripping the edge of the marble countertops to steady herself.

Pulling away, she groaned, "Fuck. Okay. Stay."

"Come wash up," Kara offered gently, knowing better than to say, 'I told you so,' as she helped Lena to the bathroom.

Lena, feeling ashamed at her own inability to hold her alcohol, said nothing as Kara dabbed her face clean with a cool, wet washcloth.

"You're okay," Kara whispered, gently helping Lena off the toilet where she'd been sitting.

Lena nodded and asked softly, "Bucket?"

"Let's get you to bed, then I'll grab one."

After another nod of consent, Lena allowed Kara to put her arm around her and lead her to the bedroom, where she not-so-gracefully slipped under the silk sheets.

"Be right back," Kara announced, hurrying out of the room and returning moments later with a bucket for Lena. "I feel like such an ass," she sighed, standing awkwardly by the edge of the bed as her employer settled in and got comfortable. "I never should have brought you there, or let you drink. Pretty sure this is grounds for firing me in the morning."

"Not gonna fire you," Lena mumbled, lying back against the pillows and shutting her eyes. "I do what I want."

"That certainly is true," Kara chuckled, feeling a small wave of relief that Lena wasn't planning on firing her yet. "Anyway. Get some sleep. I'll hang out in the chair over there and keep an eye out."

"To make sure I don't choke on my own vomit?"

"Yes. Please, lay on your side."

"But I—"

"Please, Lena, just trust me and lay on your side. You've already gotten sick once."

"Fine," Lena sighed, rolling onto her side and facing Kara, keeping her eyes shut.

"Thank you."

Lena was asleep without another word.

~!~!~

Luckily, Lena slept through the night without further incident or illness, and Kara was more than grateful.

"Lena?" she asked, trying to stir the brunette awake in the morning. "Lena, wake up. You've got to be at the office."

"Huh?" Lena mumbled, rolling onto her back.

"You. Dressed. Teeth brushed. Hair done. Office," Kara laughed.

"Oh, shit!" the CEO cried, remembering her responsibilities. "Fuck, my head hurts."

But Kara already had a bottle of painkillers ready and pressed two into the palm of Lena's hand.

"Want something greasy and delicious?"

"Not really," Lena groaned. "I feel like I'm gonna barf."

"You're alright, hun. The worst has passed. Now, come on. You've got a board meeting at nine."

"What time is it?"

"Seven-thirty."

"Shit!"

"It's okay. We've got time. You get dressed. I'll cook. You gotta eat something."

"Kara. I can't."

"Just something. Anything. Even if it's just a little bite of toast."

"Ugh. Fine."

With a huff, Lena struggled to get out of the bed before making her way to the bathroom and shutting the door.

After breakfast, which Lena ate reluctantly, the two made their way to Lena's office, with Lena grumbling the whole way.

At the board meeting, Kara sat in the corner, eyeing everyone in the room. She was sure that Lena had enemies there, and although she didn't think any were likely to hurt Lena, she wasn't taking any chances, to she stayed vigilant as they all talked numbers.

After the meeting, as Lena sat in the office with only Kara in the room, she hung her head in her hands, mumbling, "My company is so fucked."

"Lena," Kara sighed. "I know this is stressful, and I won't… I won't butt in where I don't belong… but I just want to say…"

Lifting her head when Kara trailed off in curiosity, Lena asked, "What is it, Kara?"

"I just want you to know… I believe in you. And I believe in your ability to run this company and do good for people."

Eyes widening slightly, Lena looked at Kara with a small amount of disbelief as she said, "Thank you, Kara. That's very sweet of you to say. I certainly hope you're right. I'm doing my best."

"I know you are."

"Can we go grab lunch?"

Kara nodded and said, "Sounds good. I'm starving."

Offering a warm smile, the CEO rose from her seat at her desk.

~!~!~

The press was waiting outside for Lena in the pouring rain when she left the office, bombarding her with questions about the potential downfall of L-Corp.

"Back up," Kara growled, pushing some reporters out of Lena's way.

They hardly obeyed, so Kara muscled her way through the crowd, with Lena following close behind, until they were out of the throng of people.

Taking the umbrella she was carrying and pointing it at the crowd like a rifle, laughing hard, Kara pretended to shoot the reporters.

"Easy," Lena warned her. "Don't make threats or you'll get us both in trouble."

Then, grabbing the umbrella from Kara's hands, Lena flipped it in the air 360 degrees, then caught it and flicked it open in one swift, graceful movement. This, of course, left Kara stunned.

"Who knew you had that kind of skill?" she laughed, grinning at Lena.

"Me," the Luthor joked, shrugging her shoulders as she held the umbrella over them while they walked to the nearest curb where her driver was waiting for them.

They ignored the press in favor of smiling at each other as the reporters followed them to the car, taking pictures all the while.

Letting out a tired sigh, Lena leaned her head against the back seat and huffed, "I'm tired of this."

Tilting her head in confusion, Kara asked, "Tired of what, hun?"

"Tired of being criticized for everything I do with _my_ business."

"Are you thinking about stepping down?"

Lena shook her head and sighed, "I just miss science, you know? I miss actually inventing things. Running the company itself was never really what I wanted. I just wanted to make a difference and contribute to society and felt that was the best opportunity to get the influence and power to do that."

Kara nodded slowly and replied, "You're doing good things, Lena. Maybe you should just take some time off to work on sciencey stuff and then pick it back up once you've taken some time to do what you love?"

Laughing, Lena shook her head and said, "That's hilarious, Kara. Who the hell would run it, if not me? My mother?"

A frown spreading over her lips, the bodyguard replied, "Lena… You should do what you _love,_ not what you feel you _have_ to do."

"It's not that simple!" the CEO snapped loudly, making Kara visibly recoil.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry, Lena. That was stupid to say. I just worry about you… I want you to be happy. I'm sorry. This is none of my business, at _all,_ and I shouldn't have said anything. Please, just… try to take care of you, okay? Please…"

Biting her lip, Lena looked into Kara's eyes – which were about as sad as a kicked puppy's – and replied, "Kara, I'm sorry… I snapped at you, and I shouldn't have. You didn't deserve that. I'm just… so… frustrated."

"I know. It's okay. You can always let it out around me. I can take it, Lena. I'm not… _that_ fragile."

Lena smiled, shaking her head, and reached out slowly, resting her hand on Kara's cheek, her gaze softening.

"I think we both know that's not true."

"What do you mean?"

"I can see in your eyes that I hurt your feelings. You wear your heart on your sleeve. I know how much you care about me. I don't get it or understand why, but I know it's true. You're a goober, but I appreciate how supportive you are. And again, I'm sorry. You're the last person who deserves my wrath. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'd never hurt you on purpose."

Kara thought back to Lena's drunken stupor and blushed. Lena had been pretty mean, but Kara had stuck around to protect and watch over her. But she knew Lena didn't mean it.

"You're stressed. I completely understand. I'm here, okay? I don't… I don't have to be just your bodyguard…" As soon as Kara heard what she said and simultaneously realized that Lena's thumb was absently rubbing the skin of her cheek, she blushed brighter and turned her face away, mumbling, "I… I didn't… I didn't mean—"

"I know," Lena whispered, slowly dropping her hand to her side. "You've been a great friend to me. I couldn't ask for a better bodyguard, or a better person to have in my life."

Recapturing Lena's gaze, Kara offered a warm, slight smile and took Lena's hand, giving it a small squeeze.

"I'm always going to be here for you, Lena. Employed or not. I really do care."

It was Lena's turn to blush, flattered by Kara's words. It was true. She wasn't just her bodyguard; she was her friend.

"I don't… I don't really have friends… so… this is really new for me, and I don't exactly know… how… to… do this. So, please… be patient with me. I'll do my best to be a good friend to you to, but… I'm no good at this. So, I just—"

"Lena," Kara chuckled, lightly bumping their foreheads together. " _You're_ a goober. And you're wonderful. You never cease to amaze me. I know you're a perfectionist, but… friendship isn't perfect, okay? So don't worry about that. I'm just glad I met you. That's all I'd ever ask of you. Just to have you in my life."

"I always try to do things right," the CEO confessed. "And I really don't want to mess this up."

"You won't, Lena. I'm not going anywhere. Even when you get shitfaced and tell me to fuck off."

Frowning, Lena looked away and mumbled, "I really am sorry about that. You were just trying to take care of me, and I pushed you away."

"It's really okay. You were drunk, and I don't blame you. You didn't mean it."

Lena nodded and agreed, "No, I didn't. I'd never really want you to leave."

Kara smiled at this, feeling encouraged.

"Thank you, Lena. Is it… Is it okay if I hug you?"

Eyes widening just slightly, Lena nodded her head again and wrapped her arms around Kara.

Taking in the smell of Lena's hair, Kara hugged her back and felt herself growing warm as she felt Lena's breath on her neck.

"Lena…" Kara whispered, running her fingers through the woman's soft locks of dark hair.

Lena felt herself shiver as the sensation of Kara's touch.

"Y-Yeah?"

"I, um… We're here."

Clearing her throat and abruptly pulling away, Lena rubbed her arms to soothe the goosebumps there and nodded her head before following Kara out of the car. Kara, of course, always got out of the car first to check their surroundings. She'd also made an incredibly charming habit of reaching out and taking Lena's hand to help her out of the car as well, which did – quite involuntary – make her swoon.

Trying to forget about this, Lena followed Kara into the café and ate her lunch while fighting back the heat that threatened to rise to her cheeks.


	5. Valentine's Day - Part I

Months passed without further incident, save for a few times Kara had to put a few members of the paparazzi in line. The two grew closer, until their every move became predictable by the other.

At least… almost every move.

"Good morning, Miss Luthor," Kara greeted Lena at her door on a particularly cold, sunny morning.

When Lena saw the large – overly large, really – bouquet of 24 red roses in Kara's hands, her mouth fell open.

"K-Kara… What are you doing here? It's the weekend, and you're not on duty."

"Do you know what today is?" Kara interrupted her with a shy smile as she bounced on her heels.

Lena tilted her head and mumbled, "Um… Saturday?"

"That's right!" Kara cried, her smile widening. " _And_ it's your day off."

"Okay… So… What… are… you… doing…"

"AND—" the bodyguard nearly shouted with excitement. "And it's Valentine's Day!"

"Oh," the CEO said softly, her voice dropping. "I don't really… observe that particular holiday… so… I didn't really notice. Anyway, why are you—"

"Well… Now you do!"

"What?"

"Now you do observe it! 'Cause these are for you."

When Kara extended her hand and thrust the bouquet at Lena, the CEO nearly stumbled backwards, bumping into the doorframe.

"Kara, I—"

"Please. I know you don't have a Valentine this year, and I… well, I… I mean, I'm not asking you to be my Valentine! I know I'm not… I'm… just… the help… but I… Oh, God, this was foolish… I'm shutting up now. I should go."

Kara wore her shame on her face like a scarlet letter, and Lena noticed it immediately, causing her to feel her own wave of embarrassment.

"Kara, wait…" Lena whispered, stepping closer.

"I j-just… w-wanted you to have a good day…"

"Kara, this… this is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me."

"I just… thought… I mean… I know it's a hard holiday for some people… but I…"

"Kara…"

"Wait!" the bodyguard cried, reaching into her jacket and pulling something out of her breast pocket. "I got you a card."

"Did… Did you draw this?" the Luthor asked breathlessly, staring down at the art in her hands as Kara nodded in confirmation.

The drawing on the front was of a human heart – valves and all – in full detail, down to every piece of shading, so that it looked quite real. Inside, there was a note.

_Dear Lena,_

_Valentine's Day might only take place once a year, but your heart glows with compassion every day. I admire your strength and tenacity for helping others. I admire_ _you_ _, Lena. You are so strong, so smart, and so incredibly lovely. The flowers are the smallest gesture of my admiration, but I can guarantee you there are many more gestures in store in the future to express the same. I don't plan on letting you forget how wonderful you are. I might just be the hired help, but if I can do anything to brighten your day, that'll be the best part of my job._

_I hope that you have a Valentine's Day full of laughter and love. You deserve it!_

_Yours truly,_

_K_

_P.S. Try to_ _relax_ _and enjoy your weekend! (That means stop working!)_

When Lena looked up from the card, her eyes were full of tears, threatening to bubble over onto her cheeks.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" her bodyguard cried. "What happened? What's the matter? Did I do something wrong?"

"N-No, I j-just—"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. This was stupid. I shouldn't have—"

"Kara!" Lena shouted. "Shut up for a minute!"

Mouth snapping shut as she stared in horror at the mess she felt she'd made, Kara tried to keep breathing but found her lungs completely non-functional.

"I'm trying to say…. This… This is honestly… This is… Fuck, I can't even… I don't know how to express how this makes me feel."

"I am _so_ sorry, Lena. I honestly didn't mean to upset you, and I—"

"Shut up, Kara."

"But I—"

"I'm trying to thank you. It's just coming out all wrong. Please, be quiet for a minute while I try to find the words, okay? It's not often that I'm speechless, but… I just… need… a minute."

"I… I should go…"

"Wait!"

"I just didn't want you to be alone on Valentine's Day… and I knew you didn't have plans… I'm sorry, Lena. I guess I—"

"Don't go, Kara… I'm not upset. These…" Lena tried, reaching up to wipe away her tears. "These are happy tears. I've never had anyone care about me the way you do. I just… God. Kara… Why?"

"Because I _do_ care about you. It's that simple, Lena. I just want you to feel good, and like I said… anything I can do to contribute to that is a win for me."

With a sigh, Lena wiped the fresh tears away from her cheeks and threw her arms around Kara, who was still holding the flowers, locking her in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Kara," she whispered, not letting go. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"I really was expecting you to toss the flowers and the card, not start crying," Kara chuckled lightly. "I guess I shouldn't tell you what I was planning for the day."

"For… the… day?" Lena asked, finally lifting her head and backing away slowly.

"I was thinking we could go get some pancakes somewhere, then take a walk along the beach, and then… I… sort of made reservations for us at that new fancy restaurant downtown, just… in case… you got hungry later…"

Mouth agape, the CEO stared at her bodyguard in disbelief.

"Kara… You _really_ didn't have to do th—and how'd you get a reservation there? I heard it was almost impossible to—"

Blushing, Kara confessed, "I kinda dropped your name and they made room."

Eyes drying and making way for a broad smile, Lena laughed hard and hugged Kara again before saying, "You're too much."

"You deserve it all, Lena. I know I'm your bodyguard, but—"

"Okay, stop right there. Let's be honest with each other, okay? We're too old to be fake with each other anyway."

"Um… Okay?"

"You're a lot more than my bodyguard, Kara. You're… You're my first real friend…"

Kara felt her heart leap into her throat. Friend. Wow. Lena considered her to be a friend. That was probably the most flattering thing Lena ever could have said to her.

"So… Does that mean you'll let me take you to get some pancakes?"

Lena nodded with a warm smile and squeezed Kara's hand, whispering, "Thank you, Kara. Thank you."

"Okay, okay," the former Delta Force operative laughed, playfully shoving her employer's shoulder. "Enough. Go get dressed."

~!~!~

"That card was truly beautiful," Lena commented, as their pancakes were served. "Thank you, Kara."

"Lena," Kara chuckled in reply. "Stop thanking me. You deserve the best. I'm just sorry I couldn't do more."

"Oh, Kara… You've done so much already…"

"It could never be enough for you, Lena. I'd give you the world on a string if I could."

Mouth hanging open slightly, Lena mumbled, "Kara… Don't… Don't say that."

"Why? It's true."

"Kara… Don't."

"Lena?" Kara asked, when she saw the woman tearing up again.

Clearing her throat, Lena wiped her eyes and looked back down at her plate, taking a few absent bites of her pancakes.

"Lena," the bodyguard pressed, setting her fork down on the table and staring intently at the woman across from her.

By the time the CEO looked back up at Kara, her eyes were dry and she looked a great deal more composed and regal as she commented, "You've got syrup on your lip."

Startled and embarrassed, Kara's hand flew up to her mouth and covered it.

"Shit," she mumbled, grabbing a napkin with her free hand and wiping her lips.

"It's fine, silly," Lena chuckled, seemingly cheered up by Kara's adorable display of embarrassment. "But now that you've cleaned a place for me to sit…"

Kara's mouth would have hit the table, were her jaw not attached to her skull.

"I, uh… um…"

"Oh, wait…" Lena purred, her Luthor confidence returning, fueled by her companion's increasing embarrassment. "You've got a bit on the corner… just there."

With that, the CEO leaned in and brushed her thumb over Kara's lips, pausing at the corner.

"L-Lena… I…"

"Kara…"

"I should go to the bathroom and wash my face," the bodyguard blurted, starting to rise from the table.

"Don't," Lena countered quickly, reaching out and grabbing Kara's hand. "I'll shut up. Please, just don't go." Kara hesitated, so Lena pushed her napkin into her hand. "It's just a little bit. I'll stop. Okay? I won't say anything else. Just… please, relax and enjoy your meal? I didn't mean to ruin it. I'm sorry…"

Lena looked ashamed, and when Kara finally noticed this, she sat back down immediately, saying nothing as she stared down at her plate.

"I'm sorry," the CEO said again, her voice soft and meek, entirely unlike her normal Luthor self.

"No, it's…" Kara tried to say, but the intense heat that had risen to her cheeks made it almost impossible to speak.

"Do you want to go?"

"No!" the blonde said quickly, shaking her head. "It's Valentine's Day. I want you to enjoy your meal."

"I kinda ruined that."

"You didn't. I just… I… You probably shouldn't be saying that stuff…"

After a thoughtful pause, Lena locked eyes with her companion and challenged, "Why not?"

"Because you're my boss. Because I'm… I'm nowhere near your social stature. We could never be together, and even if you were just looking for a fuck, which is what it seems like, it wouldn't be appropriate."

"I'm not… I wasn't looking for a fuck," the Luthor retorted. "I wasn't looking for anything."

"Oh."

"But then…" Lena continued, looking at Kara sadly as her stomach sank like a stone. "Then I found you anyway."

"Lena, please… Please, don't be so sweet. You're making it… I can't… We need to end this conversation. I'm sorry."

"Kara, please, don't… don't push me away."

"Lena, we _can't._ Please, don't make this harder than it has to be…"

"What do you mean?"

"Jesus Christ, Lena. Are you blind? I'm your employee. I'm… I'm even your friend, I'd like to think. And I adore you. I _adore_ you. So, please, just stop. It's never going to happen, and you know it. I'm just… a soldier. Your bodyguard. And you're… a Luthor."

"What?!" Lena snapped, gripping the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. "I'm a _Luthor_? That's what the fuck this is about?"

"No! No, I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that socioeconomically, you're far more well off! I've got nothing, in comparison."

"It's not about money either! I don't care about that! I can't believe that you're pushing away this chemistry, this… this feeling. Just because you think I'm obsessed with money and my last name. Jesus Christ, Kara. I thought you saw me for _me_. For who I really am. I guess I was wrong."

"No! You weren't wrong! I do! Lena, I do!"

"I'm out," Lena said simply, her voice lowering to her standard cool, collected Luthor tone. "I hope you have a good Valentine's Day, Kara. I'm sorry I'm not what you want me to be."

"Don't, Lena!" Kara nearly shouted, making several other patrons of the restaurant turn their heads. "Get down!" she screamed, grabbing Lena's arm roughly and jerking her down onto the floor, pushing her beneath the table before drawing her gun and reappearing from the tablecloth.

Gunshots rang out simultaneously, but only two shots were fired. Kara took down the assailant in seconds, blocking Lena's body with her own.

"Not again," Kara groaned, holstering her pistol as she turned to check on Lena. "Are you okay?!" She stared to crawl out from under the table, but Kara gently pushed her back, saying, "No. Stay. I've gotta do a sweep of the area."

As Kara turned her attention back to the rest of the room and started to rise to her feet, four police officers poured into the establishment. The rest of the patrons were crouched on the floor, covering their heads, some of them sobbing.

The bodyguard rolled her eyes, in no mood to deal with panicked civilians, as she scanned the room rapidly with trained, expert vision. The room, thankfully, was completely clear. As soon as she was sure of this, she knelt back down and held her hand out for Lena.

"It's alright," Kara assured her. "It's clear."

Hand shaking just slightly, but appearing composed, Lena took Kara's hand and allowed her to help her back onto her feet, remembering all too well the last time Kara had saved her life. This time, though, she squeezed hard and didn't let go of her protector's hand.

Somewhat startled by Lena's unwillingness to let go, Kara asked again, "Are you okay?"

Lena nodded, but kept her iron vice tight.

"It's okay," Kara whispered in her employer's ear. "I've got you. But I gotta go talk to the cops. They're gonna wanna know what happened."

"Don't leave me," the CEO blurted. "Please."

When Kara saw the tears in her eyes, she instinctually wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly against her chest.

"I've got you. I'll talk to one officer and have you sit with the others, okay? You'll be safe."

"No, I want you."

The pitch of Lena's voice was almost a whine, and it surprised Kara to hear her sounding so vulnerable. When the woman's grip tightened around her, and her head fell to the bodyguard's shoulder, Kara let out a soft sigh and stroked Lena's hair slowly, resting her chin on top of her head.

"I've got you, sweetheart," the blonde whispered, not letting go.

Lena let out a sigh of relief, but the two were distracted by the approach of two of the police officers. Of course, they were separated, to Lena's dismay, and Kara spent the next forty minutes explaining the situation – and her choice to use force – to the police. Luckily, the assailant hadn't been shot in any critical organs – Kara had only meant to incapacitate him – and was able to be taken into custody.

Exhausted by the end of the interview, Kara collected her employer from the other three officers and led her carefully outside. Lena gripped her hand tightly as they walked back to the car.

"Kara, wait," Lena blurted, when Kara moved to let go as Lena's driver pulled up to meet them. "I…"

"It's okay. I'm right here."

With a reluctant nod from Lena, the two slid into the car together, with Lena quickly grabbing her bodyguard's hand again once they were buckled in.


	6. Valentine's Day - Part II

Back at Lena's apartment, the two sat on the couch, with Lena never letting go of Kara's hand.

"L-Lena," the bodyguard stammered, rubbing her thumb slowly over the back of the woman's hand. "I…"

"I'm sorry," the brunette blurted quickly, jerking her hand away in response to Kara's reluctance.

"No, no, it's okay," Kara assured her with a smile, placing her hand on Lena's shoulder. "I just needed you to let go for a few so I can go pee."

Lena's face seemed to light up at this, and she even offered a small smile.

"I'll be back in just a minute," the blonde promised, sliding her fingers through Lena's hair before rising from her seat and hurrying to the bathroom.

Upon reentering the room, Kara could see that Lena was anxious. Unlike her usual self, Lena was bouncing her leg and wringing her hands.

"Lena?" Kara asked gently, making the woman jump in her seat. "You okay?"

"Just… startled. I know I did fine the last few times, but I was… not in a calm headspace. So when I heard the shots, I… I just… kinda… had a mini heart attack."

"I was right there. I wouldn't have let anything happen to you. And I'm sorry I upset you, Lena…"

Shrugging, the CEO looked away as Kara sat down beside her on the couch.

"I mean it," the blonde pressed, taking Lena's hand.

Looking up slowly to shyly meet her employee's gaze, Lena bit her lip.

"I meant what I said too," she told Kara.

"What?"

"I thought you saw me as more than just my name and my profession and my money."

"I do!" Kara cried, gripping her companion's hand tighter.

"Then why?"

"Why what?"

"Why no? Why stop this?" Lena pushed, pulling her hand away. "Do you not find me attractive?"

"WHOA," Kara nearly shouted. "That's _crazy talk._ Of _course_ I find you attractive! I _adore_ you. I told you that. You _know_ that. Can't you see it in the way I look at you? Isn't it obvious?"

"Uh… no. It's really not."

"Well… Well… Look. Lena, I… I find you _incredibly_ attractive. Which is why I make desperate attempts to stop you when you get all… sexual with me…"

"That makes no sense."

"I don't want to start something we can't finish."

"Kara. That's what I'm asking you. _Why_ can't we finish?"

Raising both eyebrows, Kara looked into Lena's eyes with shock and asked, "You mean… You actually… want… me? Like, as more than just a—"

"Please, just shut up and kiss me, Kara."

Staring blankly, the bodyguard felt her mouth water, but froze in place before she could will herself to lean in. When Lena reached out and stroked her cheek with her thumb, she was torn from her trance, heart skipping several beats before kicking into high gear.

 _Do it,_ Kara told herself. _Do it now before you chicken out and blow your chance!_

But she was stuck in place, mentally unable to pass the block of the thought of being intimate with her boss.

"Lena, I…" she tried, face burning hot.

With a clearly disappointed sigh, Lena dropped her hand to her side and looked away.

"You're too good for me," the brunette told Kara simply.

"What?! Why would you say that?!"

"Because why else would you reject me?"

"Lena, wait! I'm… I just… I'm an idiot, okay? I'm not as smart as you, and I'm not as pretty as you, and I'm certainly not as—"

"This isn't a competition. Are _you_ blind? Kara, I'm head over heels for you. I have been since the moment you danced with me."

"What? Really?"

" _Yes,_ really! God. You are an idiot."

Sighing, face still throbbing with heat, Kara confessed, "I feel the same. As soon as you touched my hand, I knew I was in deep. I figured I had no chance, and I—"

"You do have a chance. I'm offering you a chance. I'm telling you, right here, right now, that I want you, Major Kara Danvers."

"D-Don't call me that."

"Is that an order? Are you pulling rank on me?" Lena teased, gaining a slight bit of confidence at the sight of Kara's bright red cheeks.

"Yes."

"Okay, Major," the CEO persisted with a wink.

"I said—"

"I heard you." Smirking, Lena added, "What are you gonna do about it, Major Danvers? Interrogate me for intel on the enemy?"

Kara couldn't help but laugh at this. Lena's playful, teasing nature always made her heart throb and her lips curl into a smile.

"I might," Kara chuckled, taking the brunette's hand again. Then, looking into Lena's eyes with a serious stare, she asked, "Are you sure you want this? Us? Even though I'm—"

" _Yes,_ " Lena breathed, patience coming to an end as she grabbed Kara's face in her hands, cupping her chin, and leaned in to kiss her on the mouth.

Letting out a little whimper of surprise and pleasure, Kara's lips parted to give Lena's access to her mouth, which Lena responded to hungrily by expertly sliding her tongue over Kara's lower lip before pushing it into her mouth. When their tongues touched, Kara felt an electric wave rock her body from the tip of her nose all the way down to her toes.

"Fuck," she breathed, reaching behind Lena's head to cup the back of her neck and pull her closer to deepen the kiss.

Soon, Lena was crawling onto Kara's lap, straddling her as she carefully removed Kara's hair tie to release her ponytail and let her hair fall down past her shoulders. Then, she ran her fingers through the blonde's soft locks of hair and moaned softly as the woman's tongue moved in time with her own.

"Kara," Lena whimpered into the soldier's mouth. When Kara gently pulled away to respond, Lena smirked and asked, "Major, is that your gun, or are you just happy to see me?"

Kara laughed and left her hands on Lena's biceps.

When Lena moved in for another kiss, Kara stopped her with strong arms and softly told her, "Let's slow down a little, okay?"

Swallowing hard and feeling the ache in her core tearing up her insides, Lena leaned back slightly and gave a weak nod of her head.

"It's okay," the blonde told her softly, gently pulling Lena forward and pressing their foreheads together. "It's nothing you did. I just don't want to rush anything. Let's just… enjoy this."

With another weak nod, Lena conceded to go at Kara's pace, not wanting to push harder than she already had.

"It's okay," Kara repeated, seeing that Lena was looking downtrodden.

"That was awful, wasn't it?"

"What? Of course not. Were you not there when I did this…?"

With that, Kara leaned in and cupped the back of Lena's neck again and pulled her in for another slow, tender kiss.

"Kara…" Lena breathed, nearly gasping for air as she pulled away. "I…"

"Are you having second thoughts?" the bodyguard asked anxiously, seeing Lena's sudden shyness and reluctance.

"Absolutely not," the brunette assured her, putting her hands on Kara's shoulders and kissing her firmly on the mouth.

Kara couldn't help but smile into the kiss.

"Good," she whispered, when Lena pulled away. "Because I honestly never thought this could happen, and now that it has…"

"Go on…"

"Now that it has, I'm thrilled. And I have to ask you something."

"Anything. Ask away."

Swallowing nervously, the former soldier stared deeply into Lena's eyes, not breaking her gaze, as she asked, "Lena Kieran Luthor… Will you be my Valentine?"

Eyes wide, intoxicated by the sound of her full name pouring from Kara's lips, Lena nodded her head rapidly before kissing her, but this time not on the lips. Instead, she kissed her all over her face. Forehead, nose, cheeks, chin. A burst of affection shot through her, and she could hardly contain it, so it escaped as kisses peppered all over her partner.

Kara shivered and felt herself growing warm again.

"You're amazing, do you know that?" Kara breathed, staring longingly into the brunette's piercing eyes.

Lena shook her head and told her, "Hardly. _You're_ amazing. You've saved my life like 100 times already."

"That's kind of irrelevant."

"I don't think your muscles and skill and dedication are irrelevant…" Lena said slowly, sliding her hands down Kara's arms, giving her biceps a gentle squeeze on the way down.

Blushing brighter, Kara looked away and shook her head, mumbling, "It's really not that impressive."

"You're chiseled like a Roman god," the CEO laughed, stroking Kara's hair back.

"I work out," the bodyguard joked with a grin, kissing Lena's lips once more before pulling away and adding, "Damn, am I glad you hired me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I'm choosing to end this one. I hope you guys enjoyed the ride and that you'll check out the next story, which I'll likely be putting up next Saturday! Thank you all so much for reading and leaving comments! ❤️


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